Effects of Methionine on Milk Performance and Milk Constituents of Lactating Donkeys.

Simple Summary: Donkey milk has a nutritional value similar to that of human milk. Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid for lactating animals. The addition of dietary Met can improve lactation performance in dairy cows. However, the effects of Met on lactating donkeys have not been investigated. This study investigated the effects of the addition of different concentrations of Met on the milk performance and milk metabolites of lactating donkeys. The results showed that the addition of dietary Met improved the milk yield and milk component production of donkeys as well as altering the milk metabolites. This study provides a basis for the nutritional regulation of milk synthesis and a method for improving the lactation performance of donkeys. This study investigated the effects of adding methionine (Met) in milk production and the milk and blood metabolites of lactating donkeys. Eighteen healthy multiparous donkeys in early-stage lactation were selected for this study. The donkeys were randomly divided into three groups and fed diets with different levels of Met: control group (C, Met 0 g/d), Met group I (M1, Met 5 g/d), and Met group II (M2, Met 15 g/d). The total duration of the experiment was 5 weeks. Donkey milk and blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment. The milk yield and composition, milk, and serum metabolites were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of 5 g of Met significantly increased milk yield as well as the milk composition contents of protein, fat, lactoferrin, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PFA), solids, and solids-not-fat (SNF) (p < 0.05). Significant differences in metabolites were detected among the different samples of milk (p < 0.05). The addition of Met increased the levels of milk metabolites, such as myristic acid, d-glutamine, l-aspartic acid, and LPS 16:0. A total of 753 metabolites were detected in the serum, including 17 differential metabolites between C and M1 and 48 differential metabolites between C and M2. The levels of serum metabolites, such as l-ascorbate, inositol, and l-lysine, were up-regulated by the addition of Met (p < 0.05). The above results indicated that Met increased donkey milk production and milk composition yield and improved milk metabolites by regulating serum metabolites. These results provide a foundation for improving the nutritional needs of lactating donkeys and the nutritional regulation of donkey milk synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]